We had half a kilo of baby red peppers left over after a social event, so I tried a simple roasted red pepper soup. This is roughly based on Chef John’s take, but with the ingredients that I tend to have on hand.
Ingredients
- 650 g red peppers
- 250 g onion
- 100 g carrots
- 4 cloves garlic
- about 20 ml light olive oil (or neutral oil)
- 50 g cremini mushrooms
- 20 ml tomato paste
- 100 ml white wine or sherry
- 750 ml stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk, unshaken; use the thick cream from the top (about 250 ml) and reserve the rest
- 1 tsp smoked paprika, or other spices (see Notes)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Roughly dice the peppers, carrots, onion, and garlic. Toss them in the oil and roast until soft and charred at the edges, 20–30 minutes.
Chop the mushrooms and fry them until golden brown. Add the paprika or other spices. Add the tomato paste and fry until it starts to stick. Deglaze with the wine, scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
Add the stock and roasted vegetables. Simmer until heated through.
Blend thoroughly. For a smoother soup, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer, using a ladle to push it through.
Stir in the coconut cream and season to taste. The finished soup should coat the back of a spoon; thin it with the reserved coconut milk if needed.
Notes
- If the soup tastes flat, add wine, lemon or lime juice, and salt, a little at a time, tasting as you go.
- If the garlic isn’t punching through, cheat by adding some granulated garlic.
- This works well with Thai (red curry), Indian (masala), or French (herbal) seasonings, and may also work with Creole or southwestern spices.